Official Seeks Review Of Oakland School With Panhandling Students

Students arrive at Saint Andrew Private School in Oakland. (CBS)Students arrive at Saint Andrew Private School in Oakland. (CBS)

OAKLAND (CBS 5) — A member of the Oakland School Board is taking action, following a joint CBS 5 and California Watch investigation into a school that sends children out to panhandle.

Students from Saint Andrew Missionary Baptist Church Private School have been seen at BART stations, seeking donations.

Yet court documents reveal the school has inflated class size to collect tens of thousands in federal education dollars. For the past 12 years, the school has been reporting at least 195 students a year, when in reality less than 20 children attend.

Board member Noel Gallo has called on the Oakland Unified School District to review all publicly funded contracts to Saint Andrew.

“It sends a bad message to the taxpayer, you and I that are providing our taxes to serve kids,” Gallo said. “For us to have them out there in front of BART stations, trying to collect their own money for their own tuition while we as a taxpayer are subsidizing those efforts is criminal.”

Gallo also wants the contracts terminated immediately if cheating is discovered.

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